Skate boots are well known in the art for use in hockey skates, figure skates or roller skates, for example. Conventionally, the skate boot has medial and lateral quarters (side portions) for at least covering the medial and lateral sides of the skater's foot, the medial and lateral quarters having front medial and lateral end portions located generally near the proximal joints of the big and little toes. In order to protect the toes, the boot also comprises a toe cap made of a rigid material and at least partially covering the skater's toes. The toe cap may comprise a generally planar bottom contacting or anchoring portion conforming to the front lower surface of the insole and a pair of tabs or side edges extending inwardly from the bottom portion of the toe cap. The bottom portion may extend over the entire frontal area of the insole but may alternatively only extend along the edge of the insole leaving the center portion of the insole uncovered. The toe cap also comprises a toe portion for at least partially surrounding the skater's toes, an upper portion for at least partially overlapping the skater's toes and medial and lateral sides extending rearwardly for affixing the toe cap to the front medial and lateral end portions of the boot via glue and/or stitches. The boot also usually comprises medial and lateral overlays for protecting the stitches and/or connecting portions between the front medial and lateral end side portions of the boot and the medial and lateral rear sides of the toe cap. The medial and lateral overlays may be made of a rigid material as fabric, textile, leather, synthetic leather, nylon, etc. and the medial and lateral overlays are usually glued and/or stitched over the front medial and lateral end side portions of the boot.
Not only does the addition of the medial and lateral overlays require further manufacturing steps, but these medial and lateral overlays also add weight to the skate boot construction.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for an improved skate boot construction which overcomes the aforementioned problems and which can offer a toe cap affixable to the medial and lateral end side portions of the skate boot without requiring further manufacturing steps and/or additional components to be mounted to the skate boot.